Interesting People

This page is dedicated to photos of interesting people in Japan.
How cute is this?  This was in a park in Kyoto.  Dad was trying to take a picture...  Note the bamboo railing.

Traditional Dress

This is a Geisha.  They Geisha there are hostesses and not like what you think.  More on this subject appears elsewhere on the web site

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional dress, meets modern technology.  Notice the digital camera (near right)?

WOW

There is not much else to say; so she gets he own title of "wow"!
This is a model in a store in Ginza.  Ginza is like Beverly Hills.

COPS

 I am always fascinated in the way the police work in other places.  In Japan, almost no cop carries a  gun.  The police in Japan are your friend.
A man with character.  I would love to hear his stories.

Women in Kyoto
Whew!  Can't get much prettier than this.  She was having tea in a garden on the grounds of the Toji Temple.
She was waiting for a bus in Kyoto... lost deep in thought.  This is a favorite shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I call her "Kyoto girl."  Why?  I don't know.  Somehow to me, she just seems to remind me of the town of  Kyoto itself.

I don't know what it is, but she just has this great look.

Fancy girl.  Pretty.

Simple girl.  Prettier!

Little Kids
No dad, I can't hold still...  "Otearai wa doko desu ka," he says.  (Where's the bathroom?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was in a bowling alley.  Poor thing was sooooooo bored.  She really wasn't interested in bowling.  This is the look of frustration.  "I am stuck in this place!"

 

 

 

 

"But, someday... someday, I will grow up and my parents will be old... then I will stick them in a boring old-folks home!"

(Check the look on her face!)
Very friendly local people.  This was in a temple in Asakusa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very well cared for, upper middle class.  Well behaved, as all kids are in Japan, but I can guess that life is not too hard for her.

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, not but yards away, this poor little girl works for free; all day on her feet.  She was handing out flyers in hopes of small donations to help the children in the village of Siem Reap Town, Cambodia.  So sad in contrast to the beauty of the park, the cherry blossoms, and best weather.
   

Religion / Ceremonial

 

 

 

 

Both of these photos (left and right) are from a temple in Asakusa.  The temple and the grounds are sort of a tourist attraction; but it's a temple nonetheless.  Visitors treat each other with courtesy and respect whether they are their to sightsee or to pray.
Ok, here's a long explanation.  At the same temple there is this place where you go and pick up the silver metal canister.  (You can see it on the counter under the guy's arm.)  You shake until a hashi (chopstick) comes out.

On the hashi are some kanji characters (Japanese). You look up the kanji on the draws until you find the matching one.  Open the draw and pull out a piece of paper.  There is a detailed "fortune" on it.  It's more like advice and has many subjects, like advice on business, personal affairs, etc.  It is has some very astute things to say, not like most fortune cookies.

      

 

 

 

Then you fold the paper (left), tie it on the rack (middle), and say a prayer (right); as Terry is doing.

 

 

 

 

There seems to be something ceremonial and/or religious with this water thing.  I couldn't quite figure it out, but some people filled the cup and poured it out, and some drank from it.

 

 

 

 

The Japanese are also very big on incense.  There are many people that do it for fun (tourists); but a lot of locals take it seriously.  Things like "luck" (good or bad), evil spirits, and karma, are part of the culture and the religions.  The people light the incense and place it into a pit (see picture to the right).

From left to right: Emi-san, Theresa, Terry, David, Jerry, and Edmun.

General Photos
She was a speaker talking about something that on the grounds of the "Golden Pavilion."  This is also known as the Rokuon-Ji Temple.  There is more on this subject elsewhere on this site.

Two guys guys getting ready to fish in Atami (above).

 

Uniforms are big in Japan.  Here are some tour guides (left) in training in Kyoto; "please take me with you!" 

A monk remains silent as he "asks" for donations (far left).  Check out the broom this guy is using (left); it's not uncommon in Japan.  The guy above was assigned to a bus stop to constantly yell out information about the busses coming (above).  He was speaking in English, although it was hard to tell.  All three photos are from Kyoto.

Tea Time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite photos (left).  The Rokuon-Ji Temple had the most beautiful tea garden in the middle of the woods.  You sit on tables with red cloth and are served tea in a traditional style.  [Incidentally, I saw exactly TWO bugs (insects) in Japan, in the eight days that we where there.  None of them in the woods!  Don't ask me why.]

They serve very strong green tea in a bowl and a small plate with one snack on it.  I can't tell you exactly what the snack is; it's sort of like a mini cake with a fruit center.   it is not too sweet at all, and very delicious.  This "sitting" was near the end of the tour-walk and the tea gave me some energy (maybe psychologically only; I don't know.  But, I felt great. after that!).

 

 

 

 

This is the way you drink this tea; right from the bowl.  You can also drink your soup at meal time from a bowl.  It's not impolite to drink out of a bowl, or even make slurping sounds.  I love Japan!

  

Store Clerks and Vendors

For some reason, I have this thing for store clerks.  I think it's the uniform.

Greeting girls at Nissan in Ginza (left).  Girl hard at work, cooking on the street in Kyoto (above).

 

 

 

 

Some vendors hand out coupons (right).  But, most people refuse to take them.  So, a lot of companies got smart.  They have people handing out little tissue packs (left) with advertising and/or coupons on the back.  This is brilliant.  Never turn these down.  You can always use tissues.  Note- a lot of local restaurants don't have napkins and a lot of public restrooms have no towels (or hand dryers).  Don't ask me why.  So these tissues come in handy in Japan.  Take all you can get!

 

 

 

 

Two different store clerks in Ginza.  Uniforms and similar scarf w/ clips.  This is very common.  I don't know why, but it's cute to me.

The Elderly

The older you are in Japan the more respect you get.  This is not a written rule, but it's a universal custom, and there is no other way.  The way it should be here!

 

 

 

While these people (all four pictures) are not that old, it was very common to see people hunched over with a walker that had to be over 100 years old, out doing their shopping.  They were so bent over and decrepit that I didn't want to take their photo out of respect.  The Japanese are still very active even when they get older.  They don't sit around and become burdens on society like a lot of elderly do in America.  They are also, in general, much healthier people.
In closing this page, I can't emphasize enough just how wonderful the Japanese people are.  They are truly amazing.  I wish Americans would learn from them.  They put each other first.  They are polite to a fault.  They are kind, courteous, and honest.  Thank you Japan, for somehow taking a society overrun with people, and creating a place that is not only tolerable, but a place sought after for it's beauty and it's people alike; amazing, just amazing... and that is the understatement of the 21st century.